2008 Shaffer-Heartland CHRONICLES

[headborg]

Period Ending 2005 2006 2007 2008
Jan 6 2896
Jan 9 -0-
Jan 13 3678
Jan 20 3308
Jan 27 2162
Feb 2/3 3268 3275
Feb 10 2443
Feb 16/17 2117 2134
March 2 3339
March 9 3266
March 17 945
March 24 2774
March 31 2914
April 14 2498
April 21 2891
July 8 3097
September 16 1689
December 16 3523
WEEK 1, JAN. 2008

JAN.4TH- JAN. 10TH

HOME
NASHVILLE, AR
CITY OF INDUSTRY, CA

DH-278
LM-1884

TOTAL MILES FOR WEEK-- 1921


Left out of house on a crappy LXP load- Tyson McChicken Nuggets to
Golden State Foods- City of Industry, Ca.

Reason I say this load is crappy- it can't deliver early, Company "x" 9 times out of ten won't let you drop it early in Fontana-- without some one who lives near by to "baby set" this frozen load. Last place available/allowed to drop is Wilmer, Tx.

One the positive side: It's January so some miles are better than no miles, at least you can count on a good long haul at the tail end.
+ My IFTA stickers were waiting in Wilmer for me. Needed to be on truck by today- Jan.31st. And truck needed some service+ TLC-- and maybe I could get this done with all that "extra" time on load.

I leave house mid-day Friday-- with the inside cab of truck in it's usual disordered fashion. I know the load is pre-loaded on a spot trailer-- so yes, I do take my sweet time getting it picked up. Spend Friday night in
Prescott, Ar "Finding my Bed" (putting away all the junk)- Saturday morning I pick it up-- Saturday Night I'm in Wilmer, Tx(Casually) after stopping and Shopping- Resupply Truck.
I get my permits, and what ever else I can find...shop supplies, etc.
I check in with shop foreman, give him a write up--- he says give me your
Cell Phone Number-- and check back in with us LATE SUNDAY NITE-- it might even be MONDAY MORNING.
(DECISION TIME) Do I hang around here until maybe Monday before they
can get to truck??? OR BLOW THIS JOINT?

I decide to continue on down the road--with my rat killing.
Saturday Night-- Weatherford, Tx
Sunday Night- Van Horn, Tx
Monday Night-Willcox, AZ

DRAGGING ASS---- but remember, load can't deliver until Thursday Night
23:00. Phoenix yard is on route- but, I've hauled this load twice before--with mixed luck getting it dropped-- they don't want to drop more than 2 days anywhere early-- afraid fuel tank will run empty.

Tuesday Evening-- I roll into the New 1ST CLASS Company X Terminal in PHOENIX, AZ(inside joke)-- just in time for NIGHT shift to come on( I get along better with them than DAY dispatch- but they are all gone now)--
But,-- Dan didn't have any freight out of PHOENIX then or anytime next day---so, I couldn't UNLOAD that MONKEY off my back---so I continue to
Quartzsite, Az- and begin 34hour reset. New California NO-Idle law fresh in mind-- wasn't planning on setting in Ca any longer than needed.
__________________________________________________ __________

Week 1= 1921 miles

[headborg]

Week#2

Jan.10th-Jan.16th

City of Industry
Fontana, Ca 37 DH
Beaverton, Or 1003 LD
Tigard, Or 4 LD = 1044

Prosser, Wa 205 DH
Cheyenne, Wy 1046 LD = 1251 Total for Week=2295(actually ran)
Monroe, Ga 2528LD Lost(Gave up)= 1277 miles
__________________________________________________ ______
Week#2 Total Miles= 2295

Log:

Started 14 hrs Late Thursday Night from Quartzsite- Made delivery to Golden State Foods.
WEEK 2 begins:
Deadhead over to Fontana and pick up dropped trailer bound for Oregon With a 2 stop load of Ramen Noodles for Sunday Delivery-
4am DOT INSPECTION- Casaic, Ca PASS get CVSA sticker
Make delivery---
Monday Bounce(DH) to Prosser, Wa to pickup load of Onions bound for Wal-Mart--Monroe, Ga (late Saturday Evening delivery)
Not happy with this--(1) the appointment can't be moved up or delivered early. (2) The miles were good- but, since it's a Saturday delivery- it's gonna mean no paycheck for this period( All I would have is Ca- Oregon)
But, that's the breaks.

Well, I get to Idaho-- and get a Message--- Can I do a relay-- to get a lady driver home to Alabama(Urgent Personal Business) Can I relay to Cheyenne.
Sure, works for me-- At least I can pay some bills without waiting an extra week for a paycheck.

THEN AFTER I WAVE GOOD BYE TO MY LOAD OF ONIONS-- I'M TOLD THERES NO FREIGHT IN THE CHEYENNE AREA.

Lose 36hours waiting on next load.
__________________________________________________ __________
Total Miles Week#2--- 2295

[headborg]

Week#3

Jan 17th- Jan 23rd

Cheyenne, Wy
Denver, Co
Harrisburg, Pa

New Kingstown, Pa
Manchester, Pa
Marysville, Pa
Deleware, Oh

North Baltimore, Oh
Greensboro, NC

Total Miles = 2784
__________________________________________________ _
Log:
Well after setting for 24hrs waiting for the magic Freight Ferry to appear and bestow a load on Shaffer in the Cheyenne area.
They finally broke down and called---"the parent holding company FU"
Because company FU has lots of freight.
So mid day Friday, I head down to Denver-- Drop my Reefer and grab a Company FU Dry Van so I can go grab a load of Dog Food bound for Harrisburg-
Pickup time- 23:59pm
I wanted to be sure to get down to the yard early enough to FIND an empty-(important) but that started my 14hr clock- So I took an 8hr break there at yard- then ran over to pick up my dog food-- arrived early--- they
were buried under trailers-- and since I was the first of 4 company FU drivers to show up--- they ignored the p/u number I gave them-- and wanted me to run the very first( almost already loaded-minus 3 plts)--- So I was in and out in a flash.
Then on Monday-- lost most of a day--- Dropping off this empty dry van--and bouncing around Pa looking for a WORKING reefer to go pickup my next (over- nighter) which turned in to a ALL DAY rescheduled load--because of loosing too much time trying to find a working reefer.
__________________________________________________ __________
Total Miles Week#3= 2784

[headborg]

Week#4

Jan. 24th-29th

Greensboro, NC
North Cove, NC
Indianapolis, In
Romeoville, IL
Portland, Or
Clackamas, Or

Log:
Lost 1/2 day at TA getting altenator replaced
Lost 1 day setting in Indianapolis( on a friday- because Dispatcher wouldn't allow me to drop load on Friday
had to wait until Saturday for another Nicer/smarter dispatcher to OK the T-Call
__________________________________________________ ____

Total Miles=2982

* 2 more days left over in Jan +

Currently Under Dispatch:

Clackamas, Or
Yakama, Wa
Quincy, Wa
Monitor, Wa
Washington Court House, Oh= 2617

__________________________________________________ _______

Total Dispatched Miles in Jan = 12599
Total Actual practical Ran Miles in Jan=10500
Total Trip Miles completed in Jan= 9956

10500 miles / 28 days = 375 miles average per day

8 loads for month of Jan= 1244.5 miles per Trip average
8 loads over 28days= 3.5days per trip ~~ 375 miles per day

Then on Monday-- lost most of a day--- Dropping off this empty dry van--and bouncing around Pa looking for a WORKING reefer to go pickup my next (over- nighter) which turned in to a ALL DAY rescheduled load--because of loosing too much time trying to find a working reefer.

And paid how much for your time/labor?

[headborg]

Then on Monday-- lost most of a day--- Dropping off this empty dry van--and bouncing around Pa looking for a WORKING reefer to go pickup my next (over- nighter) which turned in to a ALL DAY rescheduled load--because of loosing too much time trying to find a working reefer.

And paid how much for your time/labor?

282 miles for that day @ .465= $131.13

$131.13/14hrs= $9.37 hr

I actually only logged used 6.5hrs that day, so figured that way:

$131.13/6.5=$20.17 hr

or if you consider I was away from home 24hrs=$5.46 a hour
How do you figure it?

oh, yeah and I got $25.00 for a Trailer re-position
so my total gross that day was $156.13

[headborg]

Games companies play:

1/11/08- I pass a California DOT Inspection- send in the Inspection Report
this lowers my safety points with Company FU into the Black so now I'm eligible for
performance bonus.

I've been dispatched on 12599 this Month<---should qualify me for Bonus

1/31/08

I get the following qual-comm message:

Msg from XXXXX, Can you pls look back at trip XXXXXX( Equity Meats going to Greensboro, NC) for lxp.... it shows that you were late for the delivery...
I was just wondering why? thanks



the delivery appointment was at 23:00
I arrived at 22:34( time stamp on Arrival at Consignee)

Fleet manager's Assistant ---had no trouble at all pulling up this message in the computer.

But person XXXXXX couldn't find this??? No, sorry I don't buy this- I've never gotten a message like this- don't think it's a quencidence that this message was sent out on the last day of the month---they are looking for something to disqualify me with.

[Colin]

How much of a bonus are you looking to receive?

[zipy46]

Headborg...

I see where 'people' are disqualifying you the extra bonus bucks...

Where I work they do the same thing .... it seems to be part of the

trucking world... :sad:

Kinda sad... but true

PS:I just called them .... they will let me take the critter!!!

(German Shepherd) He is non-agressive.... he has no nuts

.....39 to 40 cpm

6 out = 1 off

They go West ...

Cool ...

Maybe this will work out

[txdrvr]

Howdy Headborg. Y'all still get a performance bonus over at Shaffer. They stopped it awhile back at Crete when the raises happened a couple of years ago. When they did have it they did the usual also and found something to disqualify you for it so I just never tried for it after the first year or two.

[txdrvr]

Also Headborg I was wondering if you could tell us how the running with Crete loads are helping the drivers at Shaffer. I saw two more out west and noticed quite a few Shaffers trucks with Crete trailers now usually out of the Wilmer yard. It definately has hurt the Crete drivers a bit and some grumbling has started already.

[Bumper]

On my last trip to Henderson Nevada I had two Blue Shaffer trucks with Red Crete trailers go by me South on the I 15.

And this week I received yet another letter from the Shaffer recruiter wanting me to go there.....

[headborg]

Howdy Headborg. Y'all still get a performance bonus over at Company X. They stopped it awhile back at Company FU when the raises happened a couple of years ago. When they did have it they did the usual also and found something to disqualify you for it so I just never tried for it after the first year or two.

NO, I just questioned my Fleet Manager about this Bonus Issue-- and seems I missed the Memo stating that it was discontinued with that .03 cent raise.
I was so far in the Red on Safety Points(logs) it took until last December to get into the Black.

So I'll have to take back that paranoid interpertation---

FYI-

THERE'S NO BONUS AT Company X/ Company FU
THERES'S ALSO NO LAYOVER
THERE'S NO SPLITING YOUR SLEEPER BERTH BREAK

[headborg]

Games companies play:

1/11/08- I pass a California DOT Inspection- send in the Inspection Report
this lowers my safety points with Company FU into the Black so now I'm eligible for
performance bonus.

I've been dispatched on 12599 this Month<---should qualify me for Bonus

1/31/08

I get the following qual-comm message:

Msg from XXXXX, Can you pls look back at trip XXXXXX( Equity Meats going to Greensboro, NC) for lxp.... it shows that you were late for the delivery...
I was just wondering why? thanks



the delivery appointment was at 23:00
I arrived at 22:34( time stamp on Arrival at Consignee)

Fleet manager's Assistant ---had no trouble at all pulling up this message in the computer.

But person XXXXXX couldn't find this??? No, sorry I don't buy this- I've never gotten a message like this- don't think it's a quencidence that this message was sent out on the last day of the month---they are looking for something to disqualify me with.

ALL THE ABOVE IS FALSE INTERPERTATION/ PARANOID ASSUMPTION-AS THERE IS NO BONUS ANYMORE...

[headborg]

How much of a bonus are you looking to receive?

I WAS HOPING- it would be the full $500.00- but now I learn there is no Bonus anymore.

[headborg]

Headborg...

I see where 'people' are disqualifying you the extra bonus bucks...

Where I work they do the same thing .... it seems to be part of the

trucking world... :sad:

Kinda sad... but true

PS:I just called them .... they will let me take the critter!!!

(German Shepherd) He is non-agressive.... he has no nuts

.....39 to 40 cpm

6 out = 1 off

They go West ...

Cool ...

Maybe this will work out

Welcome aboard--- p.s. it's 1.5 days for 6 out-- don't let them cheat you out of your 1/2 days.

[Bumper]

I never did understand how they could give blue truck drivers a half day off more than red truck drivers.........racist bastards.....dont like red trucks!!!!!

If they only had a west coast dedicated.....sigh.

[headborg]

Also Headborg I was wondering if you could tell us how the running with Company FU loads are helping the drivers at Company X. I saw two more out west and noticed quite a few Company X trucks with Company FU trailers now usually out of the Wilmer yard. It definately has hurt the Company FU drivers a bit and some grumbling has started already.

Well- it was only 1 for me this month. And no, it's only a bandaid to a much larger more painful problem.

The Company X Division doesn't run to Company FU -- right off the bat when they don't have any freight in a area. In my case, the let me set for 24hrs( 8 of which was their normal business hours) before they Begged Company FU for a load.

And from what I've heard, Company Fu only gives out what they don't have Trucks to cover themselves. Sometimes, Company FU gets over booked in certain areas-- and needs Company X to cover some of their freight.

In the near future, there won't be any Company X left---it will all be Company Fu-
we're all one big team. But I understand-- it's a dog eat dog world.
Would Red truck drivers be so upset--- if it was just another Red truck they were "competing" with? Or is it just the Color of the truck?

I've notice many times when I need to relay a Refridgerated Load- to get home-- and there's been plenty of Company FU Drivers in the area-
But you can't get a Company FU driver to pull a reefer-- even to get a fellow driver "home".

And if you noticed,--- I lost 1/2 a day-- at the end of that Company FU load-- switching Equipment back.

[headborg]

On my last trip to Henderson Nevada I had two Blue Company X trucks with Red Company FU trailers go by me South on the I 15.

And this week I received yet another letter from the Company X recruiter wanting me to go there.....

With whom do you currently work?( I think I read somewhere before but have slept since then)?

Henderson, Nv???

You wouldn't by any chance work for Poly-Trucking?

[Bumper]

Im working for Cardinal Logistics here in SoCal. We have a Walmart Account out of Inland Cold Storage in Riverside.

I go out to the Wonder Bakery in Henderson and pick up Croutons.

After their latest contract with Wally World we went through a radical pay change in our loads and I am looking for work elsewhere.